Facts

CAMP SCHEDULE

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All are former first-round draft picks by Carolina with similar frames and pedigrees, with the proven ability to be tackling machines. One is still a relative newcomer while the other two are veterans who have suffered the kind of injuries that can end a career well before its prime.

The oldest of the threesome is 30-year-old Thomas Davis, the 14th overall pick out of Georgia in 2005 who recently stumbled across a factoid that left him rather mystified. He had started only one game with running mate Jon Beason since November of 2009.

“I was on the Internet the other day and somebody put up that stat,” Davis said. “I really didn’t think about that before I looked back at what has gone on.”

A lot has transpired and little of it positive since the last time they strapped it up to start all 16 games alongside each other. That was 2008, when it was no coincidence the Panthers tied a franchise record with 12 wins in the last season they have made the playoffs — and last time they even had a winning record.

Beason led the team with 159 tackles, followed closely by Davis with 136 as both logged two of the highest totals in team history. Davis would accumulate 71 in seven games the following season before suffering the first of three ACL tears that forced him to miss all but two games in 2010 and 11 before returning at full strength last year.

Beason posted a stunning 169 tackles in 2009 and would follow with 162 in 2010 for his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection. He logged 65 consecutive starts before being plagued by injures ever since, with a torn Achilles in 2011 and last year’s shoulder and knee injuries that limited him to five games. Beason, 28, underwent micro-fracture knee surgery in the offseason.

With that duo a lingering uncertainty, the team selected Luke Kuechly with the 12th overall pick prior to last season, and he was named defensive rookie of the year after leading the NFL in tackles.

“It’s going to be really exciting having all of us out there,” Davis said. “With the addition of Luke last year and the way he was able to go out and play and the way he’s performing right now when you get all of us on the field at the same time there isn’t going to be enough tackles to go around.”

Just when they will all take the field together is a huge question, as Beason isn’t participating in drills and Davis tweaked his hamstring just prior to the start of camp, leaving Kuechly as the unquestioned field leader.

So what can Kuechly possibly do for an encore after a rookie campaign when he admittedly even surprised himself.

“There are little aspects of the game I need to improve on, pass game, pass coverage, and I think if I can improve on that I’ll move forward from last year and I’ll be happy with that. Early on I was moving too fast and, I don’t know if trying to do too much is the right word, but I was too aggressive. As the season progressed I realized there’s a guy here and a guy there and if I just needed to sit in the middle and do my job. Once you understand the defense and where everybody fits and needs to be you start trusting guys everything kind of works out.”

Kuechly truly blossomed after assuming the middle linebacker role when Beason went down.

“We have a great group of men and think we’ve done a great job of coming together as a corps and everybody buying into our scheme and believing in each other,” said Davis, who is still sidelined after previously hoping for a return this week. “It’s all about not reinjuring it.

“I feel 10 times better than I did coming into camp last year, minus the hamstring. I talked in the offseason about how good I was feeling and nothing has really changed other than this hamstring. My knees feel great and I’m excited about this season and getting on the field.”

Kuechly is eager as well to finally see what the three can do together over an extended period of time, although Beason could very well miss all of training camp.

“I’m excited to get back on the field with both those guys,” Kuechly said. “They’re great players who communicate well and are both explosive guys so I’m looking forward to getting that rolling again.”

Hangartner let go: The Panthers surprisingly released veteran offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner. The 31-year-old started 12 games last season at either center or guard.

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